“Kelly Barnes and Alice Larson came in 1917, he from Lumberton, North Caroline, and she from Santa Rosa, California. Both of them lived with the Forrest. After their training at Toccoa Falls and at Wheaton College, they married and were associated with Toccoa Falls Institute until their deaths. Mr. Barnes was superintendent, and Mrs. Barnes was one of the teachers and later became the high school principal.” (From Achieving the Impossible with God)
Kelly and Alice Grace as a young couple.
Kelly Barnes always struck a dashing image, especially as a young man.
No one could ever accuse Evelyn Forrest of being afraid of hard work. Here she is with Alice Grace in modest but acceptable work clothes of the day.
Kelly Barnes
Alice and Kelly as a young married couple.
The college’s first radio station was located in the basement of the First Presbyterian Church of Toccoa where Dr. Forrest served as pastor. Kelly Barnes was the first “station manager.” This is the radio station that also carried Mrs. Forrest’s weekly Bible study.
Alice Grace Barnes was on of the first teachers at the Institute, which later grew to be Toccoa Falls College.
From the beginning, Dr. Forrest had a close bond with Kelly Barnes, who lived with Forrests after coming to the college in very early years of its existence. His brother Walt also attended school at TFI and later worked closely with Mrs. Forrest as she supervised the daily operations of the farm and school.
Kelly and Alice Grace met at TFI where they graduated. After they received their teaching certificiants, they married and moved back to Toccoa Falls where they spent the rest of their lives preparing others for God’s service.
This is a rare photo of four of the original students and graduates. (left to right) Sue Ralls, Ora Frost, Kelly Barnes, and Alice Grace Barnes are shown at the ground breaking for the boy’s dorm—Forrest.
